When the Phillies return to Citizens Bank Park on Friday night to open the second half of the season, 106 days will have passed since Gabe Kapler was booed at the home opener. It will be 111 days since Hoby Milner entered a game without warming up and 44 days since Jason Heyward’s game-winning grand slam soared out of Wrigley Field.
Friday will be 24 days since the Phillies were outmuscled and outcheered on consecutive nights against the Yankees and 70 days since Hector Neris blew his second save in six games. And Friday will also be the first time in 2,562 days that the Phillies begin a second half in first place.